Merit Fitness 725E Elliptical Trainer

Merit Fitness 725E Elliptical Trainer

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Manufacturer: Horizon Fitness
Customer Rating:
List Price: $599.00
Sale Price: $399.00
Availibility: Usually ships in 24 hours
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Product Description

Bring the gym into your home and enjoy an efficient, affordable workout with the Merit 725E elliptical trainer. The 725E boasts a 9.9-pound flywheel and 10 levels of computer-programmed resistance, along with an easy-to-operate computer console that shows your workout time, resistance level, calories burned, and distance. The trainer also makes it easy to check your heart rate, with EKG handgrips located comfortably under the console. Finally, the trainer includes eight preset workout programs for getting in shape: manual, intervals, rolling hills, weight loss, fat blast, cardio burn, tempo, and random. Other details include pivoting footpads with a textured surface; a 275-pound weight capacity, and a 16-inch stride length.

Treadmill Features:

Resistance: Computer programmed, with 1 to 10 range
Flywheel: 9.9 pounds
Step-on height: 9 inches
Stride length: 16 inches
Crank arm length: 8 inches
Pivoting footpads
Pedal spacing: 6.9 inches
Weight capacity: 275 pounds
Warranties: 5 years on the frame, 3 years on the brake, 90 days on parts and labor

About Elliptical Trainers
Elliptical trainers represent the next wave of advancement in low-impact cardiovascular exercise machines and continue to grow in popularity. By simulating motions experienced through walking, stepping, cycling, and skiing, elliptical machines allow for a smooth and fluid motion while building strength in the arms and legs. Similar to the exercise position for treadmills, elliptical trainers are used by standing in an upright position while holding the handrails of the machine. With elliptical trainers, however, your feet remain in the foot pedals throughout the exercise regimen and circulate in a smooth and seamless motion, resulting in little to no impact on the knees, back, and hips.

Elliptical trainers are compatible for all ages and fitness levels and allow you to select the difficulty level through the incline and intensity settings. Additionally, elliptical trainers allow you to determine the complexity of your workout based on your needs, all while listening to music, watching television, or reading a magazine while exercising in the comfort and safety of your own home.

Many elliptical trainers include an array of challenging programs, forward and reverse directional movement, EKG grip pulse handles, a lightweight portable design with easy fold-up capability, and a monitor displaying calories burned, distance, speed, time, and heart rate. Other types of exercise machines, namely treadmills and bikes, offer excellent cardiovascular exercise and muscular training for the legs in a forward-motion exercise. Elliptical trainers take this to the next level by offering an upper and lower body workout with dual motion, challenging and diverse programs, and a low-impact exercise machine that won't strain sensitive joints.

About Merit Fitness
Merit Fitness is part of Johnson Health Tech, one of the largest manufacturers of fitness equipment in the world. The company is committed to designing, engineering, and manufacturing superior products for health clubs and homes. Johnson's manufacturing facilities rank among the most sophisticated in the industry, with an intricate mix of robotics and skilled workers that maintain the highest standards of accuracy and quality. Every stage of manufacturing undergoes a testing phase, and 10 percent of Merit's products go through a rigorous quality inspection that includes completely taking them apart and reassembling them.

Product Details

Compact elliptical trainer for working both legs and upper body
10 levels of computer-programmed resistance; smooth 9.9-pound flywheel
Computer console shows time, distance, resistance level, and calories burned
275-pound weight capacity; 8 preset workout programs
EKG handgrips under the console; 5 year warranty on frame

Video Reviews

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Customer Reviews

Great Elliptical!

Review Date: September 12, 2009

Reviewer: bubba202, Chicago, IL United States

I bought a really cheap one that lasted about 3 years and then the belt snapped. I liked it but I hadn't owned an "expensive" one. So I upgraded to this elliptical and what a difference. The movements are smooth. The programs are really effective. And I am surprised at how comfortable the stride is. On my last one it was so small my heels would catch on the back wheel. This has a large area for movement yet doesn't take up a huge footprint like some of the other ellipticals out in the market. Really great product and the price is great. The box is heavy when delivered but my delivery guy brought it all the way up -- (elevator) and into my loft. And ladies, it was very easy to assemble. It me only took about an hour.

Good so far

Review Date: January 28, 2009

Reviewer: S. Briggs, Seattle, WA United States

I've had this product assembled and in use for about 2 weeks now, and so far I'm quite happy with it. It seems sturdy and it's comfortable to use. The assembly took about an hour and a half with two people--without a second person you'd be doing some juggling but it would be possible. If you have trouble with dexterity or hand strength, I would definitely recommend getting someone to help you put it together because some of the pre-installed bolts are very tight and a couple of the locations are a little tricky to get to. The assembly directions were fairly clear, and it includes the tools you'll need. I got a 7ft long mat for it to sit on, though you could probably get away with a 6ft mat. It runs smoothly and quietly. We'll see how it performs over time, but so far I'd say it was worth the price, and I intend to be using it on a daily basis.

Solid Machine

Review Date: June 30, 2009

Reviewer: Kathleen Powers,

This is my second elliptical. My first by Sportscraft I wore our in 4 years.I've had this machine for 2 weeks, so far I'm satisfied. The programs, of which there are 8, give me a good work out. Besides a minor squeak that has developed, maybe because I need to tighten something, the machine runs smoothly. I bought the 725E because the advertisement on Amazon stated it had a 14.3lb flywheel and in my research discovered the larger flywheel gives a smoother workout. This is not the case. The 725E has a 10.4lb flywheel, same as the 715E. The only difference between the machines 725E has to be plugged in 715E runs on batteries.

Did its job for 2yrs

Review Date: October 17, 2009

Reviewer: J. Terasaki,

Got this one off Amazon in 2007 and it has worked fairly well. I am 170lbs and found that it did wobble a fair amount with use. Initially it worked silently but did develop creaks after a few months. After about a year there was some squeaking that was fixable with some lubrication and bolt tightening as I went. At the two year mark, things were going strong and then the frame cracked. The weak point is the front of the elliptical where the console beam connects to the front foot. That wobbling through the years with fairly consistent use had finally cracked that weld joint. The company wanted a picture of the crack and the receipt which I sent. They agreed that the frame had cracked and that it was in warranty, but that since it was purchased at Amazon, I had to return it through them. After some repeat phone calls back and forth, Horizon aka Merit refused to honor the warranty. Amazon agreed to take it back for a refund minus their 20% re-stocking fee. By the way, a box this large is hard to come by. Overall, the machine worked "low end average" compared to past machines, but the nice looking warranty is not honored by this company.

Lasted Two Weeks, Then Main Wheel Became Unbalanced

Review Date: October 10, 2009

Reviewer: Straightlight, Vancouver, WA

Yep.

Two weeks use and the main wheel assembly started developing a hard knocking sound that indicated an unbalanced main wheel in the main frame assembly.

An unbalanced main wheel, when pedaling, will exhibit a hard knocking sound as the belt it drives snaps around the asymmetrically and unbalanced wheel. Since the main wheel assembly is pre-assembled in the shipment, I know that it was nothing that I could have affected during the entire assembly of the elliptical. Oddly enough, when an elliptical begins to exhibit this knocking sound and vibration, then main wheel axle will eventually shear in half before the belt breaks. My previous elliptical exhibited the same knocking sound before its axle snapped in half. At least my previous, inexpensive Image elliptical did this after a year of use and it was rated for only 250 lbs. The expensive Merit developed this problem in two weeks.

WORD OF WARNING: And, this concerns any elliptical. When the machine starts to develop this knocking sound, and it is not due to the wheel contacting anything inside the main wheel housing, don't continue to use the elliptical! Unlike a treadmill, bicycle or rowing machine, when the main wheel axle shears, you will fall off the machine. Unlike my previous elliptical, the pedals on this Merit are 6-8 inches above the ground. When the main wheel axle fails on this machine, you will go flying off it!!

Also, I have had some of my engineering friends look at the main wheel housing on this machine. They tell me that there is no way that the design of the main wheel housing can sustain a body weight greater than 180 lbs. for any great length of time. The 275 lbs. carrying capacity quoted by Merit for this machine is greatly exaggerated. After much investigation, I discovered a very beguiling fact concerning these weight specs. The weight carrying capacity advertised by most all manufacturers is a static weight capacity. Static weight capacity is the weight force exerted upon the mechanism of the exercise machine if one just stands on the motion mechanism. Unfortunately, the dynamic weight exerted upon the machine while exercising on it can be much greater than the weight of the person on the machine. This is what happened with this Merit machine. Although I weigh 200 lbs., the total weight force of my pedaling at a high tension setting exceeded the maximum 275 lbs. total weight carrying capacity.

Fortunately, a great lady in Amazon's customer service offered me a full refund and free return shipping of the broken elliptical back to Amazon. I did not bother calling Horizon (AKA Merit) since a previous poster indicated that they will not honor their warranty on the machine, and I did not want to drag out the situation with Horizon until it got to the point where I could no longer receive a full refund from Amazon.

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